Little Traverse Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 82% of similar towns
Little Traverse Township’s town government spent $1.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $535 per resident.
What stands out about how Little Traverse Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$535 per resident in 2022: more than 82% of them
Little Traverse Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($535 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $275, and the middle half spent $193–$426. Little Traverse Township spent more than 82% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($495,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Little Traverse Township itself left out).
About $535 per resident a year, or $1.47 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 38%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Little Traverse Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,445 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.71% of the home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Little Traverse Township’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Little Traverse Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Little Traverse Township →
Who’s in charge in Little Traverse Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
One full-time town employee for every 301 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (2,411).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Harbor Springs School District
Little Traverse Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Cross Village Township, Friendship Township, Harbor Springs, West Traverse Township, Readmond Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $23,035 per pupil, $13,862 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Michigan districts overall: 34% local, 57% state, 9% federal.
Alanson Public Schools · $15,598 per pupil
Public Schools of Petoskey · $17,179 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Little Traverse Township voted in 2024
Official results for Little Traverse Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican54.3%1,007 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat43.1%799 votesOthers: 2.5% (47 votes).
Most votes in Little Traverse Township: Donald J Trump
Emmet County: Trump 54.5%, Harris 43.8% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
of Little Traverse Township’s 2,257 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Michigan: 74%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Mike RogersRepublican54.1%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat43.4%Most votes in Little Traverse Township: Mike Rogers
Emmet County: Rogers 54.3%, Slotkin 43.1% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Jack Bergman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Little Traverse Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Traverse Township | 54.3% | 43.1% | 2.5% | 1,853 |
| Emmet County | 54.5% | 43.8% | 1.7% | 22,851 |
| Michigan | 49.7% | 48.3% | 2.0% | 5,664,186 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017; Elissa Slotkin: U.S. House portrait (congress-legislators project); Mike Rogers: U.S. House portrait (congress-legislators project). All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Little Traverse Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Michigan HouseState representatives
- 3Michigan SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Michigan
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Little Traverse Township compares with the towns next door
Little Traverse Township spent $535 per resident in 2022; the 6 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $161 to $7,264. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Maple River Township | $161 | $1,474 |
| Littlefield Township | $296 | $1,779 |
| Pleasantview Township | $299 | $2,523 |
| West Traverse Township | $520 | $3,346 |
| Bear Creek Township | $572 | $2,826 |
| Harbor Springs | $7,264 | $4,469 |
| Little Traverse Township | $535 | $2,445 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Little Traverse Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Little Traverse Township’s government
How much does Little Traverse Township spend per resident?
About $535 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $535 was more than 82% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Little Traverse Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,445 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.71% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Little Traverse Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Little Traverse Township yet.
How did Little Traverse Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 54.3%, Kamala D Harris 43.1% (1,853 votes, official results). Emmet County: Trump 54.5%, Harris 43.8%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Little Traverse Township?
8 full-time and 15 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $24,650 (about $295,800 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Little Traverse Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 37 (John Damoose) and State House District 107 (Parker Fairbairn). The House district also covers 57 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Little Traverse Township’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →